James v



(No Model.)

J. V. WASHBURNE.

, BUCKLE. No. 565,868. Patented Aug. 11, 1896.

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WITNESSES:

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A UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JAMES V. lVASl-IBURNE, OF VVATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO GEORGE A. UPHAM, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,868, dated August11, 1896.

Application filed November 20, 1895, Serial No. 569,512. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern} Be it known that 1, JAMES V. WAsHBUnNn, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Waterbury, in the countyof New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Clasps or Buckles, of which the following is aspecification. i i

My invention relates to an improvement in clasps or buckles, the objectbeing to provide an article of this kind or character which shall beadapted for use in connection with garters, stocking-supporters,armlets, sus ponders, belts, and other like articles. where the fabricor elastic web is usually adjusted in its length to suit its particularrequirement, and which clasp or buckle shall be simple and economical tomanufacture, and so constructed that it will properly and effectuallybind the fabric or elastic Web while the strain is imparted to it in theusual direction, and which will also allow, when the strain is removed,of the easy adjustment or movement of said web or fabric.

With these and other ends in view my invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts, as will behereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a clasp orbuckle constructed in accordance with my invention, the strap or webbeing removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof with the elastic webinserted. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a similar View, enlarged. Fig. 5 is a detached perspectiveview of the cross or binding bar. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modifiedform thereof. Fig. 7 is a face view of the buckle having the two ends ofa garter, belt, or armlet secured thereto. Fig. 8 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. '9 is a view illustrating one wayor manner of inserting the binding or cross bar in the frame. Fig. 10shows a modified form of the frame. Fig. 11 is a view illustrating themanner of adjusting the web or fabric.

As illustrated in the d rawin gs, my improved clasp or buckle consists,preferably, of a frame provided with two vertical parallel sides A A,and an upper and lower side a a, the form or shape of which will dependupon the particular use for which the article is devised, Fig. 1 showingthe upper and lower sides straight, Fig. 9 the lower side extended andbent into the form of a hook at, and Fig. 10 the lower side curved orbent into the form of a loop a This frame is preferably blanked out fromsheet metal and is adapted to contain between its two parallel verticalsides one or more binding or cross bars B. This binding or cross bar Bmay be made of any desired shape or form, but is preferably constructedof that form shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 8, that is, in the form of anarc of a circle, itsouter ends being notched orrecessed, as shown at ib, for the purpose of receiving and partially overlapping theverticalsidesA of the frame, and thus prevented from becoming accidentallydisengaged therefrom. If desired, however, this binding or cross piece B.may be made of a flat strip of metal, as shown in Fig. 6, or, ifdesired, made perfectly round, (not illustrated) said cross-piece beingmade of such length with relation to the frame that when at right anglesor substantially so to the vertical sides of said frame it will engageand remain in engagement therewith, but when placed diagonally acrossthe same may be engaged or disengaged therefrom, as illustrated in Fig.9 of the drawings, this construction of the parts allowing of the easyand ready insertion of said cross piece or bar within the frame. I donot wish, however, to be understood as limiting my invention to thisparticular relation of the size or dimensions of the several parts, asother ways will suggest themselves of inserting the bindingpiece, as,for instance, the latter may be slightly curved in its length prior toits insertion within the frame, and subsequently straightened.

From the above description it will be understood that the binding orcross piece B is free to travel within the frame, and between thevertical sides thereof.

In use one end of the elastic web or fabric C is passed through theframe from the rear side thereof and below the binding or cross piece B,then back again through said frame over or above said cross-piece. Ifnow a pull or strain be imparted to the web, the binding or cross piece13 will ride up the sides of the frame until said fabric is tightly heldor bound between said cross-piece and the upper side a of the frame, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the pull or strain on theWeb 0 causing the latter to be forced into the recess or cavity formedby the bent sides of the said cross-bar B. It will thus be seen, bymeans of this construction and arrangement of the parts, that when thestrain is imposed upon the elastic web 0 all sliding or movement of theweb through the clasp or buckle will be prevented, by reason of the factthat the free end 0 of the web is first forced in between the curvedsides of the binding-bar and against the edge of the upper plate of theframe, and is further held by being passed around and over one of theedges ofthe said cross-bar, as shown at c, Fig. 4, thus turning thefabric or web in a direction back upon itself. The strain upon thefabric 0 also has the tendency of causing the opposite side or edge ofthe cross-bar to bind the free end of the fabric between the side ofsaid cross-bar, and the upper plate a of the frame, as is illustrated at0 Fig. 4, thus effectually preventing all slipping of the web throughtheclasp. When, however, it is desired to adjust the clasp or buckle uponthe web or fabric for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the same,the latter is simply turned down or back in a direction opposite to thatin which the strain is usually imposed, as shown in Fig. 11 of thedrawings. When in this position, a slight pull on the fabric in eitherdirection will cause it to easily and readily slip through the clasp, asthe web itself virtually passes over one of the rounded sides of thecross bar or piece B, and not over a straight or raw edge, as is usualin this class of devices, the notches in the ends of my improvedcross-bar being sufficiently large to allow the latter to slightly rockor tilt, and thus present the curved surface thereof to the web to rideuponor over.

When my improved clasp or buckle is constructed for use as asuspender-buckle, or a retaining device for a stocking-supporter, onecross-piece only need be utilized. lVhen it is desired, however, to usethe clasp or buckle in connection with the two ends of the elastic Webor fabric, as, for example, in a belt, garter, or armlet, twobinding-pieces may be used, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, thus allowingthe size of the same to be regulated or adjusted at either end thereof.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to construct a clasp or bucklewith. a rectangular frame and a movable cross-bar traveling between thesides of said frame, in order to bind the Web or fabric between said barand frame, and hence I make no claim thereto, the gist of my inventionlying in the fact that the slots or recesses formed in the end of saidcrossbar are of such size that when it is desired to adj ustthe lengthof the web or fabric a slight pull thereon will serve to rock or tiltsaid bar, in order that said Web or fabric will travel along the side orrounded portion thereof and not against the straight binding edge ofsaid bar.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A clasp or buckle consisting of a frame provided with two parallelsides, and a cross-bar bent in cross-section and provided on its endswith slots or recesses in which the sides of said frame fit, said slotsor recesses being of such size as to allow said cross-bar to rock ortilt, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 14th day of November,.A. D. 1895.

' JAMES V. VVASHBURNE.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN F. FLAGG, GEORGE COOK.

